(Allow me to share in this column my reflections-turned-homily which I delivered last May 16)
After the historic and first ever automated election in our country, we are thankful and glad of the fast outcome of the recent elections. Certainly, we have seen how the advancement of technology can assist the society in shaping the future of our young people with high hopes on those whom we have elected. Although there were some flaws and inconveniences noted, yet each one of us will agree that God has given us this technology to help us improve our life as a nation.
As the Holy Father affirmed in his last year's WCD message, the new digital technologies are, indeed, bringing about fundamental shifts in patterns of communication and even human relationships.
Today, we celebrate the Ascension Sunday. We are once again reminded of Jesus' return to the Father. Jesus is both leaving behind yet at the same time sending his apostles to a mission. In our gospel, Jesus clearly told his apostles that "the death and resurrection of Christ, the message of repentance, the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem."(John 24:27)
Proclaiming the message of salvation is indeed a difficult task that will entail struggles, pains and even persecution. But as Jesus told them, "behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
We cannot imagine the hardship entrusted to the apostles. Just as we cannot picture our life without the good means of transportation and communications, as we now enjoy. Yet everything was achieved through a very slow process of fulfilling the will of God. Thus, "stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from on high."
Today everybody is into e-thing. E-commerce, E-mail, even e-gospel and e-prayer. There had been a great advancement of our culture. In fact, the theme of this year's World Communications Day - The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the Word - is meant to coincide with the Church's celebration of the Year for Priests. It focuses attention on the important and sensitive pastoral area of digital communications, in which priests can discover new possibilities for carrying out their ministry to and for the Word of God.
Nowadays, there is a great challenge for us to bring the Word of God into the modern media of technology. It is our present concern as servants of the Word of God to bring the gospel through modern means and make it more effective and attractive to the young people. The world of digital communication, with its almost limitless expressive capacity, makes us appreciate all the more Saint Paul's exclamation: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16)
We are also challenged to become guardians of our children against the harm of these modern means of entertainment and communications. We therefore appeal to those working directly in mass media - that you are called to become instruments of sharing the Gospel to the people and not to destroy them.
Those who are active in the production and dissemination of new media content, therefore, should strive to respect the dignity and worth of the human person. If the new technologies are to serve the good of individuals and of society, all users will avoid the sharing of words and images that are degrading of human beings, that promote hatred and intolerance, that debase the goodness and intimacy of human sexuality or that exploit the weak and vulnerable.
Just as we, your priests are trying to utilize all these modern means to proclaim the Gospel, we ask you to welcome the promptings of the Holy Spirit present in the culture of this new environment of communications and information technology the values on which we have built your lives. Media is in fact the bridge of love and friendship in our modern society.
It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this "digital continent".
Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm. Mass Media is not bad in itself. In fact God willed them so for us to transmit more effectively and efficiently His message of Love.
Lets us hope that as we achieved the fastest election in the history of the Philippines, we will also achieve more quickly the development of our country - with the Word of God present in our hearts.